On this Palm Sunday we join with many around the world, reading about Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. Like Christmas Advent, we wanted to create a tradition of countdown and remembrance. Unlike Christmas, which is a celebration each night with a little surprise or candy, this week is more somber until the end. We are still trying to figure out a new and unique rhythm but we began this evening reviewing the Christmas Advent ornaments and the events they represent. I was surprised how much they remembered! Christmas is significant in that the Jews had waited thousands of years for a Messiah to come. They celebrated and we celebrate. We will detail this week why the Resurrection is significant. Christmas Advent is typically done in the evenings. Resurrection Advent we hope to continue in the mornings so that our reflection on Jesus' life can continue throughout our day more easily.
Our goal this week is teaching them how to seek Jesus. Really, in anything that we do all year, that is the ultimate goal for us. We just love these holidays as a concentrated time to help us to focus in on this goal with teaching and special time together. Tonight we talked about what it means to truly believe in Him or want to leave Him as Jesus asked His disciples, read the story from our Bible in Stories and decorated our felt wall hanging "map", sang and prayed together. At Christmas we wanted to make sure that we taught Christmas hymns and for Resurrection we wanted to teach related songs known by most, so for Day 1 we sang "Amazing Grace." It is amazing that we sing so many great songs with our Church body but often classics are not repeated enough to be learned.
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| Background begins with Road and Hill, Clouds, and Sea |
This season I created a Resurrection Advent map out of one of my favorite materials- felt, with a Reading guide and activities. This is something you are welcome to cut out or adapt yourself or I have some kits ready-made in my
Etsy shop. Basically, you begin with a long road up to the hill of Calvary, adding a piece to go with a story picked out for each day of the week. Tonight's story of the Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem added a green palm leaf. This set covers 10 days of teaching including the time Jesus spent with the Disciples after the Resurrection and His Ascending into heaven before them, because I thought it important not to end at the Resurrection. Adding these 2 stories will help to lead into conversations about Jesus' work and role after the Resurrection and to our future. I'm excited to see how these elements fit in with our seeking Jesus together as a family this week!
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| This is what the "map" looks like by Day 10- teaching the Triumphal Entry through the Ascension. |
